Hey guys, remember the first time you called a girl to ask her out? You probably picked up the phone and set it down a few times before working up the guts to make the call. You knew what you wanted to say but weren’t sure how it would come across. It was the ultimate cold call, and the cold reality of rejection was the scariest thought.
Even though we live in a time when texting and tweeting seem to be taking over the conversation, phone calls and face-to-face meetings provide a nice touch. For real estate agents, that’s especially crucial because after you get a lead, you need to establish a relationship with the person seeking a home in order to close the deal.
This takes personality, preparation and motivation. If you’re part of a lead-generation system such as HouseHunt.com, the person you’re going to talk to has an interest in purchasing a house, so there’s instantly something to work with in that regard. But rather than jumping right in with bottom line stuff such as price parameters, make it more personal by asking about the importance of neighborhoods and schools and if they’d like to live close to where they work.
Following a script can be helpful, but be sure it’s not robotic. Jotting things down that you want to touch on also is important and makes a great reference point as the conversation continues. A successful sales call often begins hours before you ever pick up the phone. Before each call, invest time in the homework you’ve done. Review what worked well on previous calls and make sure you know at least a few things about the needs and interests of the person you’re about to call. -
But the acronym for “too much information” extends beyond idle chitchat between you and your colleagues, friends or acquaintances. 